The present invention relates to a control method and apparatus for a computer network system including a plurality of computer system managed by different managers, in which the rents (or accounts) associated with the execution of jobs in the computer network system are transferred to computer system sites in the computer network system, and more particularly to a control method and apparatus which are suitable in view of processing capacity, function and rent in the case where a user contracting to use a specified computer system site utilizes computer systems of sites in the computer network system other than the specified site.
With the extent of the field of applications of an information processing system or electronic computer, the range of utilization of the electronic computer system is expanding to image processing, use of data base, on-line processing, non-numerical processing, and so on in addition to the mere calculative processing which has hitherto been performed. Corresponding to this, the running of the information processing system (hereinafter referred to as computer system) is getting to include a 24-hour running service and the distribution of processing and/or function associated with the utilization of a computer network system. As one method of supporting the 24-hour running service of the computer system, JP-B-61-6426 has disclosed a control system in which the operating conditions of computer systems structuring a network are mutually monitored by each other in order to allow the unmanned running of computer systems. According to the technique disclosed by the JP-B-61-6426, the starting and stopping of computer systems in the network system are made by means of public lines under monitoring by a disaster prevention monitoring panel the conditions of the computer systems after the starting thereof are mutually monitored by the computer systems by means of data transmission lines between the computer systems.
On the other hand, the effects of function distribution by a computer network, methods of utilization of communication paths and network structuring methods have been applied to many fields since they were disclosed by the article "Synchronous data link control: A perspective", IBM System Journal No. 2, (1974) pp. 140-163.
Also, JP-A-63-58568 has disclosed a control system in a network structure formed by a host computer and distributed computers or more particularly a control system which makes it possible for the central host computer to monitor the conditions of execution of jobs at the distributed computers. According to the technique disclosed by the JP-A-63-58568, only necessary information among information concerning the execution of processings by the distributed computers is transmitted as advising information together with a change in the condition of execution to the host computer.